Just Baking

Chocolate in our household is a staple, not a luxury.  It seems like my husband needs hourly fixes of bite-sized dark chocolate, or simply a handful of chocolate chips.  In the past I have purchased him an assortment of chocolate for special occasions, but it really isn’t met with much enthusiasm, to him, chocolate is chocolate. 

But fortunately, I have discovered the way to his heart is still, as with most men, via his stomach.  He swoons over home baked goods, fresh from the oven, still hot and crumbling in his fingers.  While he does enjoy all types of cookies and cupcakes, what captures his attention most is a sweet designated for breakfast.  After a quick perusing through my cookbooks, I found this delightful recipe that I am confident would elicit his gratitude when the notorious Valentine’s Day rolls around.  Best of all, it uses only items from my pantry and some of those frozen berries I have tucked away for my indulgences, smoothies.

So without further ado, I will reveal the secret recipe that shall be the Valentine’s Day gift to my greatest love … thank goodness my husband doesn’t read any of my blogging!

Strawberry Love Muffins
Photos and Recipe from My Sweet Vegan by Hannah Kaminsky

1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Plain Soymilk
1/3 Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Frozen Strawberries, Thawed and Sliced

Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190°C) and grease one dozen muffin tins.

Begin by mixing together your dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Gently stir in the soymilk, oil, and vanilla but be careful not to over mix, a few lumps are okay! Fold in the thawed strawberries and pour the batter into your prepared muffin tins, ¾ of the way to the top. Slide your filled tins into the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let the muffins sit for at least 10 minutes before removing them from the pan. Enjoy with someone you love.

Makes 12 Muffins